The agent for Los Angeles Lakers point guard Isaiah Thomas has shed some light on why things didn’t work out in Cleveland — and hinted at some coming tension with his new organization.

Amid indications that Thomas may not start for his new team, ESPN’s Rachel Nichols relayed a text message sent to her by Thomas’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, during The Jump’s NBA trade deadline special. It was written in capital letters: “HE’S NOT COMING OFF THE BENCH.”

Thomas’s new coach has strongly hinted that he may have to come off the bench, and common sense dictates that the Lakers aren’t going to bench Lonzo Ball just to accommodate him. This could very much set off a messy situation, but Thomas doesn’t have much of the power here.